Endo- and Exochitinase Activity in Kiwifruit Infected with Botrytis cinerea

Endo- and exochitinase activities were determitied in autoclaved leaves, live leaves, atid fruit of kiwifruit {Actinidia deliciosa var. deliciosa cv. Hayward [A. Chev.]Liartg atid Fergusoti) following infection with Botrytis cinerea (Pers.). Appreciable endochitinase activity was found iti healthy and diseased leaves artd fruit at harvest and after cool-storage, but was absent iti plant tissue killed by autoclavitig. Later harvested fruit produced more endochitinase activity in storage than did early harvested fruit. Exochitinase activity was only associated with diseased tissue, and was present in diseased autoclaved leaves. The results suggest that endochitinase activity originates frotn the plant whilst exochitinase is associated with the pathogen. The significance of these findings is discussed